Name
Frank Hicks
10 February 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/03/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8391
Scots Guards
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 3 and 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor,
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
Not on the Marlowes memorials
Pre War
Frank Hicks was born in Hemel Hempstead on 10 February 1894, the son of Henry and Eliza Hicks and one of seven children. He was baptised at St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead on 9 March 1894 and the family were then living at 3 Bailey's Place, Hemel Hempstead.
His father died in 1899, age 41, and on the 1901 Census he was living with his widowed mother and siblings at 54 Chapel Street, Hemel Hempstead, where his mother was working as a Charwoman and his older siblings Percy, Mabel and Ethel were working in the Paper Mill.
His mother remarried to Albert Blackmore, a widower whose wife had died in February 1901. Albert and his first wife had five children, but only his daughter Ellen was living with the family at the time of the 1911 Census, when they were living at 105 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead. His mother and stepfather also had a son Ronald who was born in 1902. His stepfather was working as a moulder in the iron foundry and 17 year old Frank was working as a Mill Hand at the Paper Mill.
Recorded as born in Watford (believed to be Hemel Hempstead) and living in Marlowes when he enlisted in London.
His mother was recorded as living at 3 Albion Hill, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead at the time of his death.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in London and served as a Lance Corporal with the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards. It is likely that he was a serving soldier at the outbreak of war as they were stationed at the Tower of London in August 1914 and the battalion landed at Zeebrugge, Belgium on 7 October 1914.
He was killed in action on 12 March 1915 whilst acting as a stretcher bearer. during the Battle of Neuve Chappelle. According to a report in the local newspaper entitled 'A Noble Death', he was shot in the neck when he and his partner, Private G Miller, were under heavy fire and were laying a wounded man on a stretcher. Private Miller wrote to his brother William Hicks and and the newspaper report quoted from a section of his letter.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £5 and his pay owing of £9 14s 4d was divided between his siblings. She also received a pension of 5 shillings a week.
His brother Harold served as a Bandsman in the 1st Suffolk Regiment and was wounded twice but survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
